Tyranny of Dragons - American Fork

Grease, Hats, and Prison

Returning to Greenest, the adventurers received payment from Leo in the form of mounts, riding gear, and the promise of further work in the city of Elturel. After taking extreme precautions in opening the previously trapped chest, the group left on the 6 day journey to Elturel. Upon approaching the city, they noticed that the light they had assumed was a bright star was in fact the magical orb protecting the city from Undead forces.

Arriving in the city, they used Elaina’s contacts to find the tavern and inn where Leo had been seen with the famous dragon slayer Gunther. Gunther took to the group quickly, and challenged the Half-Orc and Dwarf to various feats of strength. During the wrestling match, Leo arrived and conversed with Buckshank and Elaina. The 6 of them headed upstairs to a large room and explained what had occurred at the cavern, which turned out to be a hatchery. Gunther and Leo thanked them for their work, and asked to see them the next morning after they had discussed this new information.

The men decided to use a portion of their night gambling, and made out pretty well overall. Elaina decided to turn in early, as to rest up for whatever they might face next. During their morning meeting, it was revealed that Leo, Gunther, and Buckshank were all members of organizations with concerns about the Cult of the Dragon. Leo and the Harpers then invited Thalinor to join them and he selected a set of mithril scale armor. Gunther invited Krug to join the Order of the Gauntlet and he selected a set of chain armor that was warm to the touch. Elaina received a missive from a group called the Lord’s Alliance inviting her to join them, being noble herself. She selected a very dangerous looking longsword as a gift from her new benefactors. Buckshank has been a member of the Emerald Enclave, and had been sent to Greenest to investigate the Cult. They are concerned that the cult’s aspirations threaten the balance between nature and civilization, a major tenet of their beliefs. He received a set of bracers that made him want to string his bow and practice. The group was then asked to intercept the wagons sent north by the Cult. The Harpers’ information indicated that the destination was eventually Waterdeep, by way of Baldur’s Gate. Gunther had commissioned a river boat to take them and their mounts down the river to Baldur’s Gate where they were to watch for and tail the cultist’s as they headed north. Gunther and Leo asked that the group try to change their appearance and spend time studying their new items, as their potential could be hidden. Leo then offered a sizable ruby as payment for their help, which would be waiting for them with the Harper’s in Waterdeep.

Spending a few hours in the city before departing, they visited Elaina’s favorite apothecary who was having a terrible day. Buckshank did not believe that the apothecary was offering them the best prices, and decided to hold out until Baldur’s Gate where he assumed the economy would allow for lower prices. He then departed to find a purveyour of false mustaches as to best hide his identity.

During the journey, Buckshank discovered his bracers allowed him greater strength while drawing his bowstring and greater calm and accuracy when aiming. Elaina’s sword was revealed to have a magical property where intense damage against her enemies was added to even further. The chain aromor that Krug donned lent him resistance to any cold damage he might encounter during his travels. 3 days on the river, and the group arrived at Baldur’s Gate.

Because the great city allowed no animals or transport vehicles through the city, the adventurer’s rode through rough land near the boat landing at the river banks to the northern side of the city. Leo had told them to meet their Harper contact, who was a merchant outfitter, for the most up to date information on the cultists. The caravan outfitter Abar let them know that the Cultist’s were to arrive in 4 days, and then depart almost immediately for Waterdeep as part of a caravan. They found a nearby inn where they couldget beds and stable the horses, and entered the city.

Buckshank found a new interest in the various animal greases and how they are made, and spent much time berating merchants over any and all precise details. He discovered that the potion economy was not as he suspected, and found that healing salves were more expensive in Baldur’s Gate. Thalinor and Krug decided that the city must have good fighting and began seeking out any gladiatorial style fights. They quickly learned that pit fights had claimed too many young recruits lives, and the city had outlawed them The Flaming Fist Mercenaries eventually arrested Thalinor for continuing to seek illegal fights and mouthing off to an officer. Elaina had been seeking her Lord’s Alliance contact, and found him to be the head of the Flaming Fist: Marshall Ulder Ravengard. He released Thalinor, but advised the group against breaking the law further. Thalinor then set about getting Cyanwrath’s head taken care of, and decided on fashioning his bones to a helm. The process took most of their time in the city, and cost a rush fee, but eventually he was rewarded with the half-dragon’s skull mounted on a steel helm. The group felt he should not wear it openly during the journey for fear of retribution by the cult. Buckshank became enamored with the idea of a hat, and searched out a haberdashery where he and Krug bought green berets.

After the 4 days passed, the adventurers went to the caravan camp to try to get guard positions. They quickly offended a green lady, and turned to an ale salesman for work. All were offered positions, with Elaina becoming the man’s personal bodyguard.

The caravan left and began the 750 mile journey to Waterdeep. On the afternoon of 7th day, they encountered a man buried up to his head and the words oathbreaker on his face. The men of the group decided to dig him up, and found him to be a Harper agent. He was waylaid by cultists after getting caught passing their information to other Harpers. He vowed to repay them in Waterdeep, and departed to find food and raiment. The evening of the 11th day brought a dispute between an abusive noble and the green woman. The adventurer’s intervened and disgraced the noble and his guards easily. 2 more weeks passed, and on the morning of the 29th day the hunters of the caravan saw a Golden Stag in the hills nearby. They all took off after it, but only Buckshank was able to follow it deep into a forest. He happened upon old elven ruins and discovered that the Stag was in fact a Sylvan deity. They conversed briefly in Elvish, and the stag generated a gift for the intrepid hunter: a magical longbow.

Through all of the caravan’s travels the adventurers never saw anything suspicious. The known cultists never associated, the wagons weren’t traveling together, and their people were spread entirely throughout the travelers.

AKA Always Check for Traps

Having recovered from the stirge attack, the adventurers moved forward deeper into the caverns and found a trash pit. Noting some small glimmers, Krug and Thalinor moved down and began searching the horrid stench filled pit. A small band of troglodytes attacked, but were quickly dispatched. Continual searching in the pit found that the glimmer was shiny trash, but there was an overlooked leather pouch containing multiple gems. The group continued to the next obvious cave, but Thalinor stabbed his foot on a poisoned spike. His Dwarven constitution prevented enough of the poison so he was only temporarily incapacitated. The group proceeded to engaged a group of kobolds in the chamber. During the fighting, though, Elaina toppled into a pit of young guard drakes, prompting them to howl for reinforcements. Krug and Thalinor leapt into the pit, striking the drakes from above. While they engaged the drakes, Buckshank attacked from above before having to fend off a small warband of kobolds and winged kobolds. Krug ripped the old gate off of its hinges, and charged up the steps to the aid of Buckshank. Following the passage that the warband came through, the group triggered yet another trap as the roof began to collapse on them. This alerted the rest of the kobolds left in the chamber, which turned out to be a barracks. After taking care of the remaining kobolds, the group found 88 stacks of 8 copper coins each, along with small piles of other coins and several dragon themed talismans. Following a deep corridor , the group arrived at a cave enlarged to be a shrine. Black Dragon motifs adorned the walls and the stalagmites and stalactites were polished into pillars. worshiping in the shrine were two berserkers and the large half-dragon Cyanwrath. Having remembered Krug from the encampment, he challenged the group to battle. Thalinor was able to cleave Cyanwrath’s head off, and claimed his weapon as a trophy. After defeating the berserkers, the room was searched and studied. In front of a draconic 5 headed image, they found an ornate wooden chest with silver and mother of pearl inlays. Realizing none with them were skilled with locks, Krug insisted the chest be taken with them and Buckshank picked it up. This triggered an acid trap that sprayed over the party and began to vaporize into the room’s air. The toxic fumes drove the group into a large corridor, where they were attacked by grenade wielding kobolds hiding above. One went suicidal and exploded himslef , drawing the attention of a tentacled creature above. The roper watched the group intently while it lowered its tentacles and began to eat one of the deceased kobolds. Moving to the lower portion of the cave, the group investigated two large shapes which turned out to be eggs. However, large guard drakes attacked intent on protecting the eggs. They failed, however, as the adventurers elected to destroy all three having found another hidden at the back of the chamber. The eggs contained minuscule dragons which quickly died outside of the shell. The toxic gas dispersed in the previous room, so the group headed back and found a passage that led to an office. Inside they found Mondath sitting at a desk, patiently. Seeing Cyanwrath’s head as Thalinor’s trophy, she agrees to answer the groups’ questions. She explains that the treasure was sent north in a convoy, and that Rezmir had left her in charge of the egg hatching. Now that the egss were gone and most of the cultists here had perished, she could slip away and escape the cult’s retribution. She agreed to give the group the key to the chest at the mouth of the cave, and the adventurers walked there with her. Upon leaving the cave, she cast command and froze the group, allowing her to summon demons with a guttural language and disappear through a portal. Weak and weary, the group began the trek back to Greenest after many close encounters with death.

Deadly Fungi and Bat Swarms

Having rescued Leo from execution by the Cult of the Dragon, our adventurers returned to Greenest to receive their pay from Governor Nighthill. Leo spent the next day recuperating, and Nighthill urged the adventurers to stay until the Half-Elf Monk was well enough to tell them all what was happening with the raiders. Leo revealed that he had bought the adventurers’ contract from the Governor and had a few tasks for them. He also was substantially increasing their pay, since he had not consulted them beforehand. Leo’s original plan after being captured was to explore the caves at the back of the cave, and he wanted the group to find what the cult was hiding therein. Upon returning to the campsite, they found it empty for all but a few hunters. Snubbing everyone in the group except Buckshank, the Hunter’s described their work and the cultist’s departing the morning after the group had rescued Leo. Entering the cavern, they found a few guards and easily dispatched them while discovering a hidden passage towards a very full barracks. They discovered what appeared to be an empty room, save for a single drunk cultist. They questioned him as to what happened to the camp, but he was of little help. The group then moved forward into the caves and triggered a stairwell trap, dropping them at the foot of giant violet fungus. Once clearing the garden of the belligerent fungi, the group moved into a bat filled cavern and disturbed them. Along with the bats, however, were a group of stirges which began to suck the blood of the party while using the bat swarm as cover. Eventually, the adventurers cleared out the stirges and the swarm calmed. They then decided to rest for a short while before moving further ahead.

How to Get Caught

Having survived the previous night, our adventurer’s are given a new task with an advance and promised payment at the completion of the mission: find the raider’s camp. Governor Nighthill sends the group southward, but not before they find a local apothecary hoarding potions and healing supplies. After convincing the man that price gouging is against his best interest, they purchase some salves and depart. While following the obvious trail of trampled grass, they come upon a monk named Nasim. He was part of a group of monks traveling to greenest when they were accosted by a group of cultists. Most were killed, but he managed to escape. He asks that the group find his master, Leo, who was taken captive by the cultists. While traveling they encounter a small group of raiders and kobolds and easily pick them off. Continuing on the trail they see an obvious trap location and avoid it by going around the stony pass. After much debate and scouting, the group decides to walk into the camp and is unnoticed at first. They find a group of prisoners and Elaina stays behind to heal them and arm them with daggers for their escape. As night falls, Krusk, Thalinor and Buckshank all head to the heart of the camp where they find Leo tied up. Mondath appears with a man in red, a Black half-Dragon wearing purple, and Cyanwrath. They announce that the camp has been infiltrated by a half-orc who was seen entering the camp in the afternoon. Quickly devising a plan, Buckshank and Thalinor rat out Krusk and help tie him up while slipping him a dagger to escape. Krusk converses with Leo and learns that the black half-dragon is Rezmir and is Mondath’s superior. Leo does not, however, want to be rescued and says he has a mission to continue. At this time Elaina has led the prisoners up a cliff face and sent them back towards Greenest, and watches from the cliffs above. Buckshank and Thalinor take out the guards near Krusk and Leo, and arrive to tek them both away. Leo reveals that he could have escaped at any time, showing his own hidden dagger. Thalinor and Buckshank tie up the dead guards while Krusk and Leo dress in the Cultist garb after debating whether or not they should try and run out of the camp despite how far of a distance it is. Deciding that would be suicide, the newly adorned “cultists” walk out of the camp unnoticed meeting up with Elaina and heading back to Greenest the way they came.

The Adventure Begins

Arriving in the town of Greenest as raiders began an assault, they saved Lin, Cuth, and their children and escorted them to the town keep. Governor Nighthill and his Castellan Escobert tasked the adventurers with finding a captive whom they could interrogate. After nearly losing Buckshank to a hoard of rats, the group was able to determine the raiders were cultists with the goal of looting the town of all valuables for their queen. Upon returning to the keep, Lennithon the Blue Dragon began an assault from the air. Casualties were high as the group tried to use a ballista against the attacker. It was only Krusk’s heroic speech that rallied more guards to fight the dragon that allowed the adventurer’s time to wound Lennithon’s eye, forcing him to retreat. As dawn approached the raid leader, Mondath, presented herself and her champion at the keep. Cyanwrath, a 7 foot tall half dragon, had taken Lin and Cuth captive and demanded that the keep send a single fighter to prove their worth. At this time, a hooded figure who had been silent and watchful in the courtyard of the keep moved forward. It was a tall Bronze-scaled Dragonborn, who began to converse with Cyanwrath in Draconic. The adventurer’s were only able to catch a few words between the two, speaking of Tiamat and Bahamut. After talking briefly, both fighters breathed a bright streak of lightning towards their opponent as they circled each other. The dragonborn raised a quaterstaff right as Cyanwrath used a greatsword to rend the head off of his opponent. Lin and Cuth were released, and the raiders began their retreat. As dawn’s light fell over greenest, the body of the cloaked Dragonborn evaporated into wisps of ethereal light.